


You and the Night and the Music

by TheNightMother



Series: Start Me Up- Drabbles and One Shots [4]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3, Fallout 4, Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Bets, Singing, performing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-24
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2021-01-02 00:47:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21152816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNightMother/pseuds/TheNightMother
Summary: Mac bets Anna to sing a song at the Third Rail. And he also ensures she looses.





	You and the Night and the Music

It had all started when they were traveling alone together.  MacCready had heard her humming along with the notes that played through Diamond City Radio one afternoon, enjoying how her tone complimented the music so well.

When they had stopped at the Red Rocket Truck Stop that had become her small chem production facility, it had continued. After they had arrived, greeting her pooch with gifts of Brahmin jerky, she had tossed her pack into the garage and started up the generator and the first thing that his eyes were drawn to was the large juke box glowing on the far wall. His mouth dropped open; it was filled with more Holotapes than he had ever seen.

“Noticed Big Bertha, I see.”

“Holy  Sh \- I mean just wow! Never seen that many  holos in one before.” Anna crossed over to the  machine , dragging a finger along the slightly fogged glass.

“Yeah I have been collecting since I came off the Point. We didn’t have any music there until one day, Ma was tinkering with the radio and Three Dog’s voice came through. I remember sitting and listening for days on end. One day I am  gonna have to go see Travis and see about what I would need to do to get more music on the radio. “

“Wait... You have stuff from The Capitol?”

“I have stuff from  _ everywhere _ , some of the tracks from out west cost me nearly my weight in caps but it's worth it. Any requests?”

Mac’s mouth gaped open and he shook his head. “I- I don’t even know. Something not from here or the Capitol.”

A smile spread across her face when she turned the dial as the soft beat started to fill the room and she moved away from the juke box. 

“Why Don’t You Do Right. Performed by a woman called Peggy Lee. It’s not my favorite version. That’s by Julie London, love her voice. I don’t play those ones often though. Don’t want the tapes degrading.”

He sat down in one of the couches and leaned back and let the soft jazz wrap around his body, tugging his green cap down over his eyes. Anna started to move about the room, grabbing her discarded pack and pulling random scavenged contents out humming along with the track as she stored them in the various containers. Soon she was mumbling along with the song.

“You have a wonderful voice.” Her singing stopped.

“Don’t lie RJ. “

“I’m not. I sit in the rail every da- darn night. Bet you could give Mags a run for her money.”

“You’d lose your caps. Mags has a far better voice.” Anna moved over to the fridge that she had restored the last time she had passed through here and retrieved him a cold bottle of beer before finding a clean-ish glass and the bottle of whiskey she had produced from her pack.

He accepted the beer with a smile. “200 caps. If you make more tips than she does in one song, it’s all yours knockout.”

“3”

He coughed around the mouthful of beer and worked to swallow it. “300? You really think that your voice is that bad?”

“ No, I just really think Mags is far better.”

“Fine. Three. Better have them waiting for me next time we are in Goodneighbor.” She scoffed at him. “What do I have to do if I lose?

“2 songs.”

“Do I at least get to pick them?”

“Of course.  For the first one, however, to make sure that you don’t cheat I have to hear the song at least once beforehand. That way I, the all mighty judge, can deem it equal. Or you could just sing one of her tracks.” He shrugged

Anna smirked. “The all  mighty judge?”

“My caps are on the line...Think I get to call myself that this time.”

“Fine.” She stuck her hand out to shake his. “After I pick my tracks, we will start moving for Goodneighbor. I hope you have enough there to pay me when you lose.”

“Well folks Mac and our resident ray of Sunshine have prepared a treat for the ‘Wealth tonight and you fuckers are the lucky ones who get to hear it” Hancock’s rough voice ran  through the mic and boomed out the speaker near his feet. 

A random ghoul voice called out to him from the crowded bar. “What’s the treat Mayor Hancock?”

“Well as was a surprise to even me, Mac tells me that Sunshine has a voice that rivals the flower of the Third Rail. So, he made her a bet! His caps for her voice!” He swallowed back a measure of his drink before he continued. “We set up two jars. One for Mags and one for Sunshine. Each of these lovely ladies is going to come perform for us. Vote with your caps at the end of the two songs!”

Anna let out a huff of breath when his voice reached her in the VIP room. Mags had dragged a large mirror in here for the two of them to prep in front of and while the singer seemed to be at ease, Anna was a bundle of nerves. Mac couldn’t help but laugh.

“If you didn’t want to do it this bad, you shouldn’t have made the bet.”

“Fuck off RJ”

“Come one Knockout. It's not that bad.  Hell, I even got up one time for Atom Cats poetry night. I mean it was a bet with Deacon but I still did it.”

“Yeah. It's exactly why I am doing this. Either way, win or lose I have to sing.” She tossed back a near full glass of whiskey in one gulp before her head whipped around. “Oh god... Deacon. He isn’t here is he? If he sees this, I will never live it down. He’ll start calling me something like Songbird.”

“Haven’t seen him.” He had to look away from her so she couldn’t see his eyes. He had actually put 100 of the 300 caps he had budgeted for this bet bribing the spy to come and help him win the bet tonight. No matter how many caps she made, Hancock, Deacon and himself had decided that she was going to be singing them two songs tonight. 

“Ready to preform Hun? It’s only one song. I mean, unless you want to come take over for me some nights. I would enjoy a night off.” Magnolia’s voice wrapped around her as she checked over her appearance again.

“You’re up first Mags.” Hancock's rough voice called to the back room and the raven hair beauty went to take her usual spot on the stage. Mac and Magnolia had agreed on Good Neighbor for her performance which went off without a hitch. Anna listened in, fiddling with the nobs on her  PipBoy . She had worked the  holotape to silence the vocals out of the track, so she could have just the instrumental to sing over.

The last few bars floated out from the speaker and a loud round of applause rung through the bar. It echoed in the small VIP room and Anna had to toss back another glass in an attempt to push past her nerves. 

When she stepped out from the back room a small hush fell. She had found a white sequin dress similar to Magnolia’s, and Hancock couldn’t help but nudge Mac when the crowd parted to allow her up to the stage. “Pick that out for her Mac?”

“He- Heck no man. That’s all her. I honestly can’t tell is she wants to win or lose.”

Feedback played through the speakers when she hooked the connected up to her  PipBoy before she stepped up to the stage. “H-Hello everyone. Umm So this is probably a song none of you have heard. But ah... It’s called You and The Night and The Music.” She huffed out a small breath and pressed play on the holotape.

“You and the night and the music   
Fill me with flaming desire   
Setting my being completely on fire   
You and the night and the music   
Thrill me, but will we be one   
After the night and the music are done?”

The first verse started off a little shaky but when she looked up to find the sky-blue eyes of  MacCready in the crowd, she found it was impossible. Every head and face blurred together under the lights, the only thing she could make out was the shape of Hancock’s Tri-corn and the tall silhouette next to him. She directed the second verse towards them.

“Until the pale light of dawn and in daylight   
Hearts will be throbbing guitars   
Morning will come without warning and take away the stars   
If we must live for the moment   
Love till the moment is through   
After the night and the music die   
Will I have you?”

At the end of her song the only sound on the bar was that of Charlie’s thruster jet before a sudden cheer rang through the air. It increased in volume as everyone in a bar joined in, moving forward and dropping caps to cast their votes. The amount in the jar labeled Sunshine quickly surpassed the one labeled for Magnolia.

Mac and Hancock moved forward, both of them sneaking 100 caps each into  Magnolia’s jar which helped but she was still visibly behind in votes. The two men looked around nervously. Where was Deacon?

Leaned against the far wall, the spy hadn’t been able to change his position since he had started the cheer for her song. Her voice had nearly moved him to tears, deep and husky just like London’s and he needed to get up to the jar so he could ‘vote’ and make sure she gave them a second damn song. He pushed himself from the wall and forced his way quickly to the front of the crowd where Anna and the two jars were.

It was the flash of his sunglasses in the lights that allowed Anna to finally see him closing in on the jars. “Oh fuck...Mac? That’s  Cheatin !” She called into the mic when she watched him dump two hefty sacks of caps into the other singer's jar. 

Deacon smiled up at her as the caps clinked against the glass. “Don’t think it’s cheating if you never specified the rules Songbird... I believe you two agreed the winner was who ever had more tips at the end of the voting period. Looking at Mags jar... Well it  ain’t you.”

Anna hung her head in shame when she heard the other men laughing. Damn it. They were all right and had played her like a damn fiddle. 

“Fuck. Fine. Don’t bother counting them. You guys get your second song.” She turned away from the bar to hide her smile. She would never admit to any of them that she had enjoyed preforming, plus the second song she had picked was likely to get a reaction from at least one of the three of them.

“Well, Everyone,” She spoke into the mic again as she watched the bald head of Deacon retreat over to the  silhouette of Hancock and  MacCready , “It seems that I have lost the bet and now I owe you all another song. This one goes out the three filthy cheaters who now  ** each ** own me 300 caps.”

A new beat started up and she began to sing.

“While tearing off a game of golf   
I may make a play for the caddy   
If when I do, I don't follow through   
Cause my heart belongs to Daddy

If I invite a boy some night   
To dine on my fine fin and haddie   
I just adore, his asking for more   
But my heart belongs to Daddy

Yes, my heart belongs to Daddy   
And I simply couldn't be bad   
Yes, my heart belongs to Daddy

So I want to warn you laddie   
Though I know that you're perfectly swell   
That my heart belongs to Daddy   
And my Daddy, he treats me so well”

He hips were swaying along with the beat, hands skimming up and down her torso and thighs and none of them could believe the second song she had chosen or the raw emotion and sensuality she poured into it.

“Mac,” Hancock’s voice croaked out, and he had to grab for his drink to chase away a suddenly dry mouth. “Did you know about this?”

The younger man shook his head and attempted to adjust around the sudden tightness in his pants. Both of them turned to Deacon who had started to laugh slightly.

“I have no clue how the two of you handle her. Must be insane in bed.”

Hancock couldn’t help the growl in his voice at the other man. “You would know, wouldn’t you spy. You are always watching.”

Deacon coughed and raised his hands in defeat. “Look. I’m not here to push you out man. Just came for the song... When it’s  done... Well I got some business to take care of myself.”

Mac scoffed “Fancy talk for jerking your cock, man.” Even though he was listening to the other men argue his eyes were glued to the form of Anna on stage. When she finished the song and stepped down of the stage, he was the first of her men to make it over.

“Hoy shi- Just wow Anna. I don’t even know what to say.”

“How about ‘here’s your 300 caps?’” He blushed.

“Can I pay you back in other favors?” 

“Oh, you’re going to be doing that as well... But you still owe me 300 caps for cheating. Same to you Hancock!” She called over the taller  mercs shoulder as he moved to wrap arms around her and pull her lips to his. 

“well my extra Caps are up in the State House Sunshine. How about all three of us go up there and see what we can do about paying  ya ’ back?” 

She laughed at the double entendre “Okay then. Lead the way... Daddy.”

**Author's Note:**

> So this is literally this first thing I have written in a LONG time that wasn't porn. Not to be honest with you that wasn't for lack of trying I just couldn't seem to find a way to take it from here to there. Maybe one day I will figure it out.
> 
> Anyway all of this was written while listening to Julie London who I absolutely suggest as a wonderful experience. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJUe0FIItVI - You and The Night And the Music
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT-ARHa3Yr8 - My Heart Belongs to Daddy. (this is now Hancock's song in my mind)


End file.
